Guide:How to Make a Fanon Character
This is a simple guide to give pointers, and help the inexperienced at making their own 40k fanon characters. Naturally this is a very important part of the work that people do on this site as their characters shape the story that they are trying to tell. This guide ought to be used with How NOT to make a Fanon Character. Alignment Probably one of the first things that you would want to consider is whether you want to make a good or evil character. Please keep in mind that any Necron, Chaos or Dark Eldar character will be evil by default, when looked at objectively. Necrons have no souls, and if you want to make a good CSM or Dark Eldar character, well that is what Craftworld Eldar and normal Space Marines are for. Also keep in mind that your character does not necessarily have to be good or evil. There are many morally ambiguous characters. Orks are a good example of this. Orks don't always have to be evil, but they are rarely ever good. Bear in mind, however, that alignment depends heavily on the point of view from which you write. Orks see themselves as hilarious and fun-loving, and probably see the universe in cartoon format; they're really just out to laugh and win some scraps. Just about everyone else sees them as follows: genetically-engineered war machines that laugh as they work slaves to death, and take great joy in slaughtering the Hell out of anything they pass. They'll do so indiscriminately, from the bravest man to the most defenceless child, from trained soldiers to the sick and dying. The forces of Chaos, while brutal and driven by carnage and bloodshed, see themselves as the prodigal sons of the Imperium and wish to dethrone an Emperor that they see as a pretender to Horus' throne. Everyone else sees them as the fluff typically portrays them. Despotic, nomadic, Hell-bent on bringing the universe to its knees and pissing on the ashes. They see things from the opposite direction - villainy is a good thing and the more noble and heroic the people they break, the greater the deed. The Tau are the closest thing that the setting has to "Good Guys" and even then, they'll smash everything you hold dear if you reject their Greater Good. Siding with them has locked the Kroot in an agreement that many Kroot believe to be a restraining bolt that could jeapordize their ability to diversify their genetic code. The Imperium are commonly seen as the defenders of mankind, and rightly so; they defend the genetic purity of humanity. But at the cost of genocide and barbarism. Abhor the Witch, burn the mutant, slaughter the alien. Looking at them from a certain perspective could lead a writer to say that the only thing separating them from their polar opposite, the followers of Chaos, is the god that they pray to every morning. The Eldar are heroic, noble and good, right? The Imperium calls them selfish, and the forces of Chaos agree. Don't forget that the Eldar don't deprive themselves of emotional extremes and hold themselves rigorously to various paths and Aspects of Khaine because of religious devotion or a sense of stubborn nobility in the way that Mankind holds itself to the Imperial Creed. The Eldar stick to those paths because they're terrified of falling prey to Slaanesh, the nemesis they gave birth to, their collective child that broke the back of their entire race and drove them from their homeworlds. Don't be afraid to spice up the story by portraying things from the character's point of view, including their prejudices and their own view of what it is to be a hero on their side of the fence. History Your character's history is their story, and really that is what this site is about. this is where you will most likely be doing most of your work regarding whatever character you are making. It is here that you will tell us of his or her numerous exploits. in other words this is the meat of your character article. It is also good to give others a peak at your character's early life, so that people can get some insight into how your character ended up like they did. Character Classification I, Supahbadmarine, tend to classify Characters of the 40k continuity into two basic archetypes. These types are Set-Role and Free-Moving characters. Your Character could be either of these types of characters. Keep in mind that each of them are different and neither of them is better than the other. Please remember that there are always exceptions. Set-Role Characters Set-role characters are precisely how they sound. they are characters that conform to a particular role. These characters tend to be weighted down to their job and by extension whatever group or faction they are affiliated with. These characters conform to a set of basic norms belonging to their group or occupation. Space Marines are a good example of this. They all tend to have a similar, if not identical mindset to the rest of their Chapter. Furthermore these kinds of Characters are not always able to move by their own volition, being forced to act in accordance with the actions of their group. Characters such as these tend to have less wiggle room for originality. However, finding ways to make them both individual and interesting is not only possible, but also very rewarding. Below are some examples of groups where you will find these characters. Space Marine Chapters As stated above, Space marines tend to fall under the Set-Role category as a whole. They are often possessed of the same general mindset as all their brothers. Even if your Character is a bit of a maverick amongst his brothers, he will still likely be stuck in his role as an elite soldier, and chained to the movements of either his Chapter or his company. Imperial Guard While individual Guardsmen can be quite original, they are stuck conforming to the ways of their Regiment. The Regiment itself does not even move as it pleases, taking orders from the Departmento Munitorum. The Guard and every part of it are all just one big war machine. Eldar Craftworlds Eldar can have many beliefs but they are still stuck going with the path that their Craftworld chooses to take. Aspect Warriors, Guardians and even Autarchs define themselves by being part of a greater whole. Dark Eldar Kabals The only member of a Kabal that has any actual freedom is the Archon. Each and every Dark Eldar is selfish and ambitious, but they still conform to the hierarchy of the Kabal out of fear of the consequences should they do otherwise. However not all Dark Eldar are part of Kabals, infact Kabals are a clique meaing its not so easy to join them. Necrons The only Necron Characters are the Necron Lords themselves. While they have more individualism than their subordinates, they still have more or less the same character traits. Furthermore the lord is merely the head of his Necron forces, making him merely the CPU in a vast machine. Necron Lords are the epitome of a Set-Role character. Tau Tau characters can be used in a similair fashion of Imperial Guard characters. However, their personality must be almost completely ingrained in both the culture and the psyche of the Tau (Tau'va, the greater good). Fire Warriors are only a small part working within their Hunter Cadre. Which is but a small part of a Sept's forces, and so fourth. If you want a more free-moving Tau character (such as one who uses melee, murders humans and/or is evil, then make them a member of the Farsight Encalves, or another renegade group) Free-Moving Characters Free-Moving characters tend to be less constrained and more individualistic. These characters tend to simply do as they please, and others will either follow them or won't. These characters are usually free spirited, or even anarchistic, living by their own set of rules. In general these characters are less defined by the group they belong to if they even have a group, and move through the galaxy as they see fit. Here are some examples. Criminals Criminals naturally move outside any set rules. As such, they are excellent Free-Moving characters. They can be anything, including Rebels, smugglers, pirates, gang members, and mercenaries. Rogue Traders Rogue Traders are individuals that have been given the freedom to do anything except outright treason by the imperium. They can travel where they wish, make friends even with aliens and are generally left to their own devices. They work well if one wants to make a character with a diverse history. Inquisitors When someone says Inquisitor, people think about a menacing fundamentalist that rains punishment down of the heads of entire worlds with his own personal army. While this is often true, Inquisitors are actually a very diverse group of people. There is no central command structure to the Inquisition, so Inquisitors are often left to determine their role and function themselves. The Inquisition are filled with individuals of various beliefs, with the ability to move as they see fit and use whatever resources they feel they need. For every inquisitor that burns worlds with a legion at his back, there is one that is clever and subtle. Chaos Chaos by it's nature does not conform to any rules. Champions of chaos are expected to gain their position and favor by merit of their own skills. If a Chaos Space Marine gross strong enough he will then strike out to form his own warband or depose his Chaos Lord to take over the one he is in. Chaos Lords go and do as they please. In addition to this, non-Astartes are also completely capable of receiving favor, and ravaging the galaxy to their hearts content, or starting shadowy cults and rebellions. Eldar Outcasts While the majority of civilized Eldar remain within the safety of their Craftworlds and the Eldar Path, there are some who operate outside the confines of these sanctuaries. Some Eldar, hearing the call of adventure, abandon their homes for a time in order to become Rangers and explore the galaxy. Others were banished and became rogues criminals and Corsairs. All of these Eldar follow the Path of the Outcast. they move and act as their mood takes them. Orks It is interesting that even though they are a blight on every other species in the galaxy, Orks are easily the most free-spirited race out of them all. Orks live in the moment, going fast, breaking out into fights and taking whatever they want whenever the mood takes them. If a Nob feels he is too big to be sharing a tribe with his Warboss, then he will take some of his boyz go to make his own fortune. While they are very free in how they move, big groups of Orks are bound to be restricted by constant aggression by other races, not that they mind it. For the most unrestricted Ork characters, it is suggested that you go with Orks of the Blood Axes Klan, who are more open-minded than others, or with Freebooters. Kroot While the Tau are a very Set-Role species, their allies the Kroot are not. The Kroot seek combat and adventure all over the galaxy. Whether it is fighting along side the Tau, renting their warriors out to other forces as mercenaries or fight in a large war group, the Kroot go all over the galaxy. Personality Personality is what makes a character a character. I'm going to present this as a series of polarized examples to give an idea of how to describe personality. Of course, a character can blend any of the traits I'll describe. What separates them from the unwashed masses? Is he brave? If so, is he humble, or does he never shut up about it? Expanding on that, is he genuinely brave, or is he putting all his stock in that one time he sprinted across a street and tackled a purse snatcher because he thought it'd get him laid? A coward can be just as interesting as a brave character. What drives the coward to look out for himself so much? Paranoia after a near-death experience leading him to think that he's destined to die horribly? Is he selfish and appears brave until things stop going his way? Is your character somewhere in between? Does a situation scare him so much he needs to change underwear before taking command because no one else will (arguably making him a damn brave person)? Will he let the fear show or only break down in private to keep others from breaking down? Just as important as deciding between courageous and cowardly is what makes the character tick. Is she greedy? Is she selfless to the point of sainthood? If the answer is greedy, for what? Money? Fame? Power? If she's a selfless individual, why? Someone gave to her in a time of need and inspired her? She was just raised that way? She took the teachings of an Imperial Preacher to heart and elected to become a defender of the weak and needy? Is the character a grey area between the two? Supah's Batman vs Superman Hypothesis Hello reader. This is Supah. I like good characters and I came up with an ideaology that helps me keep how to make interesting characters in perspective. I have decided to share this hypothesis with the community on this page. First of all i will start with a question. Who are the two biggest superheroes from DC Comics? The answer is obvious to those who are even slightly familiar with them, it's Batman and Superman. Now between the two of them my preference lies with Batman. The reason for this is simple. Superman is completely epic. He can fly, breach the sound barrier and chuck a skyscraper at you if you tick him off. However I feel that he is a little too epic. Normal threats hold absolutely no challenge for him. After all who cares about criminals with guns when bullets bounce off of you? You have a runaway train? No problem, he will just lift it off the tracks. He is so powerful that only massive disasters and equally outrageous opponents have any chance of challenging him at all. Now take Batman. For starters he is nowhere near as powerful as Superman. In fact he has absolutely no super powers at all. Yet he makes do. He uses his brains, training and special equipment to do his job. He faces some extremely dangerous challenges, sometimes even going up against villains in Superman's league. Yet despite this he is still mortal, and an armed thug having a lucky day could easily put an end to him. He is just as great as Superman without has abilities being blown so far out of proportion. Now we as writers want to make an impression with our work. Most of the characters that we know of in the 40k setting are well known for being able to perform great feats of daring and might. On top of that this site is filled with many well written characters. In the face of that a User still wants to make their character stand out. Many Users will be tempted to make characters with great abilities and lofty reputaions. After all this seems like a good idea to make a character that will impress. Sadly these "Superman Characters" often fall short. In trying to make characters that are awesome the User ends up with a character which is simply way overpowered. If everybody tries to have the best hero or villain on the site we just end up with a pretenscious character that's just better than everybody else. That annoys people to start off with. Furthermore these Superman characters are highly unoriginal. Both the Canon and the Fanon are peppered with them, so in this setting extraordinary heroes are really a dime a dozen. To make matters worse these charcters also often suffer from a horrible lack of depth. When you look at Superman's history you see an alien getting sent to earth, being raised by a traditional happy midwestern family and going off to be the ideal hero. Hell, DC often eludes to this themselves when some of their heroes refer to Superman as the "Big Blue Boyscout". Batman on the other hand has a very interesting backstory. Born to a wealthy family, parents are killed, chooses to embrace the thing he fears most in order to fight crime and most of his romantic interests are actually criminals that he fights. Characters that we make overpowered suffer from similar problems no matter how interesting we make their original backstory. If you have the ability to walk up and take on fifty armed assailents all on your own without a scratch, then where's the challenge? The most important thing about a character should not be what they can do, but rather who they are. If your character just goes from planet to planet wiping out the other side, then we don't get to see them for who they are. We never get to see them struggle, and in the end a good story is defined by struggle. It is far better to have a somewhat weak character with a unique personality and intersting backstory nearly get killed by Hivers than it is to listen about some super awesome hero killing 80 Terminators. Despite this some may still want to make such characters. Firstly I would like to point out that Superman charcters fit much better when you are making a villain, especially when they are going to be defeated by your hero. Also I suggest you at least try making a "Batman Character". You might find that making a colorful underdog will allow you to make a far more interesting story, and make it more popular. Just remember that interesting beats epic every day of the week, and on Sundays. Abilities and Attributes Friends and Enemies If you want your character to be involved with another Fanoner's characters/organizations, make sure to ask that author before including a history between your character and what they've written. Friends A character's allies, friends and acquiantances. Just who these dramatis personae are will probably be heavily dependent on the character's history and alignment. It wouldn't make much sense for a Craftworld Eldar character to be palling around with a Deathwatch Space Marine or a Chaos Lord. Likewise, it doesn't make much sense for a Tau Water Caste Envoy to be spending time down the pub with an Ork Kommando and a Genestealer. How and ever, given the right history, some very interesting and eclectic mixes can be made. A radical Inquisitor might hold a Chaos Space Marine with a strict (albeit messed-up) code of personal honour in his debt, or might be part of a Daemonic Pact (which he may or may not renege upon later). Just the same, with a little creativity, it's perfectly reasonable for the aforementioned Water Caste Envoy to be inviting an Imperial Rogue Trader or even the last example's radical Inquisitor around for Thursday night's poker game (provided he doesn't bring the Chaos Marine - those jackasses always blow cigar smoke at the dealer). Contact Left - Canon Example Inbound: there's a very interesting short story in a GW collection that includes an Ordo Xenos Inquisitor who uses psychic influence to keep a Hybrid Genestealer (an Eldar-spliced Hybrid, no less) under his thrall. Enemies The same guidelines apply to enemies. They'll depend heavily on a character's actions, alignment and history. However, enemies provide more variety with less work because a lot of races are enemies by default. A Chaos Marine will, in all but the most extreme of cases, be at the throat of an Imperial character and vice versa - they'll only have each others' backs as long as the Tyranids and Necrons are trying to pile in on them like the biker gang no one invited to the party. As soon as the horizon is clear of the common foe, they're back to trying to stab each other in places no one wants to be stabbed. Just like their allies, with a little creative thinking, you can draw up a list of enemies for a character that can turn heads. Look at the Gaunt's Ghosts novels for inspiration. In just the first book, the First and Only were on extremely bad terms with the Jantine Patricians, to the point where both regiments were willing to take an eye for an eye in the middle of a Crusade against one of the most infamous Chaos Cults in the setting! *